Islay’s smoky single malt, Ardbeg, is on a quest to find its most devoted fans. To celebrate 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee and the opening of its boutique hotel, Ardbeg House, fans can win the ultimate whisky pilgrimage to Islay.
Two winners will be announced on December 6, 2025, and will travel to Islay in May next year. The prize includes two Premium Economy flights and a three-night stay at Ardbeg House, offering a world-class whisky and hospitality experience.
The competition closes November 30, 2025. To enter, submit a photo or short video with a caption showcasing your Ardbeg devotion. Join others like Tynan Sidhu of Silver’s Motel, who celebrates the bond among Ardbeg lovers, and help crown one winner with the People’s Choice Award. Entry is exclusively through www.ardbegcommitte.com.au — hit the link for more information.
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After several months sitting empty, the space formerly occupied by The Everleigh in Fitzroy finally has new tenants. Opening in the coming weeks, Moondrop will be a Chinese-inspired cocktail bar by the team behind Sleepy’s Cafe & Wine Bar in Carlton North; Steve Chan, Jacob Muoio and Jesse Kourmouzis (ex-Above Board).
I popped into the still-under-construction space above Belle’s Hot Chicken on Gertrude Street last week to have a chat with Jesse and Steve and get a sense of what they’re planning for this legendary piece of hospo real estate. The basic layout of the venue will stay the same, with the bar in the same place as always, but even now I can tell there will be a more playful vibe to Moondrop.
Jesse shows off a steel plate with the Moondrop logo of three rabbits arranged in a circle; a motif that can be seen throughout the venue. “One of the working names that we threw around at the start was ‘Yutu,’” he says. “Yutu is this magical rabbit creature in Chinese mythology that makes the elixir of life for the moon goddess, Chang’e,” he explains.
“We ended up going with Moondrop, but we’ve still got the connection to the rabbits as our guiding light,” adds Steve. “And it’s Jesse, Steve and Jacob as our three directors, so our logo is the three rabbits.” Apart from the bunnies laser-etched into the stainless drip trays and hand-painted onto feature tiles on the bartop, the most obvious moon-related feature is a huge paper lantern hanging in the middle of the main room and casting a moonlight glow over the bar.
Surrounded by sheets of white linen at various heights and angles, “It will look different depending on what angle you’re at,” says Steve, “which represents the different phases of the moon.”
In terms of the inspiration for the venue, Jesse points to a trip he and Steve took to Shanghai earlier this year. “We did seven pop-ups in 10 days, just non-stop go, go, go, and it was amazing. We realised that Chinese culture was underrepresented in bars in Australia, so we’re creating a space that highlights both Eastern flavours and Western hospitality,” he says. “We want it to be a venue that’s all about the act of celebration,” adds Steve.
“We’re also tying in aspects of both old-school and new-school in terms of the drinks,” says Jesse. “The Everleigh was the catalyst for so much of Australia’s cocktail movement, so we didn’t want to do the same thing, but we also wanted to pay homage to that. So we’re keeping a little list of classics as a section of the menu,” he says. There will be about 26 drinks in total on the list including those classics, as well as 10 Eastern-inspired seasonal signature cocktails. Examples include the Moondrop Negroni with tangerine peel infused vermouth, a Manhattan riff with lapsang souchong, and the Shanghai Sazerac with Nin Jiom, a Chinese herbal medicine sweetened with honey.
In terms of service, Steve says they’ll be taking orders and delivering drinks tableside, “because it means that you can just sit down and you’re 100 percent catered for. You’re in our house, so we want you to relax and know we’re here to get everything that you desire,” he says.
“But we’re probably going to still be a little more casual,” than The Everleigh was, he says. “If you want to come up and order at the bar, you’re more than welcome to.”
The offering will be rounded out with longnecks of Tsing Tao, wine by Chinese winemakers from Australia, China and around the world, and a snacks menu by Jacob, who brings years of experience as a pastry chef to bear on a tight menu of fun and engaging Chinese-inspired finger food. But cocktails will definitely be the focus here. Currently planning to open from 5pm to 1am Thursday to Monday, I can’t wait to come in and see it in full swing.
It would be an understatement to say that The Everleigh has left some very big shoes to fill in this hallowed space. But y’know what has really big feet? Bunnies! And with these three little rabbits shooting for the moon, I wish them nothing but the best of good fortune.
Around the Bars
The People’s Drink. There is one day left to cast your vote for the People’s Drink of the Year presented by Club Suntory at the 2025 Boothby Drink of the Year awards — visit boothby.com.au/drinkoftheyear and have your say before the voting closes tomorrow night.
Rhubi Tuesday. Come along and show your support for the national finals of the #JustAddRhubi cocktail competition at Runner Up Rooftop bar in Collingwood on Tuesday 18 November. Hosted in partnership with Fever Tree and Mix Haus, the event will feature live cocktail presentations from the five finalists as well as Rhubi drinks and snacks. Tickets are free, so reserve your spot right here.
Party like it’s 1806. Classic cocktail bar 1806 are hosting a hospo party to celebrate the launch of their new cocktail list on Monday 17 November. There will be free drinks on arrival courtesy of Bacardi, live music, nibbles, discounted cocktails, and a three stage cocktail competition with a Magnum of Grey Goose as the Grand Prize. The new menu is based around Character Archetypes & Narrative Tropes, so come dressed as your favourite character from film or literature, and there will be a red carpet where you can strut your stuff and win some prizes. RSVP via the Facebook event here and shoot them a message if you want to jump in on the comp.
We’ll Always Have Paris. On Thursday 13 November, Mel Hack, Ryan Sweeny (both formerly of Whisky & Alement) and Corby Smalls from The Gresham in Brisbane are heading to Paris for a Drag & Drams pop-up at Sister Midnight. The event will combine world-class cocktails with world-class queer performance, blending entertainment and education through whisky tastings, storytelling, and drag artistry. Profits will be donated to AcceptessT, a Paris-based organisation that supports transgender and gender diverse people, and Sorry Not Sorry Collective.
Islay’s smoky single malt, Ardbeg, is on a quest to find its most devoted fans. To celebrate 25 years of the Ardbeg Committee and the opening of its boutique hotel, Ardbeg House, fans can win the ultimate whisky pilgrimage to Islay.
Two winners will be announced on December 6, 2025, and will travel to Islay in May next year. The prize includes two Premium Economy flights and a three-night stay at Ardbeg House, offering a world-class whisky and hospitality experience.
The competition closes November 30, 2025. To enter, submit a photo or short video with a caption showcasing your Ardbeg devotion. Join others like Tynan Sidhu of Silver’s Motel, who celebrates the bond among Ardbeg lovers, and help crown one winner with the People’s Choice Award. Entry is exclusively through www.ardbegcommitte.com.au — hit the link for more information.
